Chicago comes alive in the winter. From the colorful, festive mosaic of our unique neighborhoods to the endless bustle of the downtown Loop, Chicago's winter months are among its most exciting.

Ripe with arts and culture, Chicago immerses visitors in blockbuster museum exhibits and special celebrations, such as Chicago Restaurant Week and Chicago Theatre Week. For the very best in dining, shopping, entertainment and sports, Chicago is the place to be.

SPECIAL EVENTS

January 26 - February 8, 2018

Chicago Restaurant Week is a Choose Chicago Partnership program designed to promote the city's dynamic, award-winning restaurant industry and drive traffic to participating establishments during a typically slow time of year.

Organized by Choose Chicago, this annual culinary celebration features more than 300 participating restaurants throughout the city and surrounding suburbs, and special prix fixe menus starting at $22 for brunch and lunch, and $33 and/or $44 for dinner (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity).

February 8 - 18, 2018

Chicago Theatre Week is a celebration of Chicago's world-class theater scene. This coming February, visitors and residents will have the opportunity to choose from more than 100 productions, and to sample the extraordinary range of Chicago's theatrical offerings at a special price.

ART & CULTURE

111 S. Michigan Ave.

Rodin, Sculptor & StorytellerThrough March 4, 2018
In addition to pivotal works such as The Hand of God, Eternal Springtime, The Prodigal Son, and Adam, the exhibition displays photographs, drawings, prints, and sculptures by the artist’s lifelong friends and contemporaries, including Claude Monet and Henri Matisse.

1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.

125th Anniversary: Dinosaur Deinstallation and ReinstallationFebruary 2018 - Late Spring 2018
As part of the Field's 125th annivary celebrations, a new dinosaur will be assembled in Stanley Field Hall. The Titanosaur is a giant, long-necked herbivore from Argentina, stretching 122 feet in length. Former Stanley Field Hall inhabitant, SUE, will be dismantled as a result (she'll reappear in her new home in Spring 2019). Visitors will be able to watch the deinstallation and reinstallation process.

Ancient Mediterranean Cultures in ContactThrough April 29, 2018
This exhibition poses the question, "What happens when cultures collide and people are able to trade, interact, and influence each other like never before?" Exploring Roman, Egyptian, Greek and Etruscan cultures, the exhibition features more than 100 objects, including Etruscan gold jewelry, a mummy from Egypt, and a bronze bathtub from Pompeii.

220 E. Chicago Ave.

Michael Rakowitz: Backstroke of the West Through March 4, 2018
Based in Chicago, Iraqi-American artist Michael Rakowitz "makes work that explores recent contested social, political, and cultural histories," creating illustrated objects, installations, and performances. This is Rakowitz's first-ever museum survey, and features early works, a new commission, and major installations, such as the ever popular Enemy Kitchen, a pop-up food truck that serves Iraqi dishes.

We Are HereThrough April 1, 2018
As part of the MCA's 50th anniversary celebration, this major three-part exhibition draws from the Museum's significant collection of twentieth- and twenty-first-century art, featuring an international, multi-generational group of artists, and works in all media.

50 E. Erie St.

The Art of Seating: 200 Years of American DesignFebruary 10 - August 11, 2018
This exhibition features 37 examples of American chairs created between 1810 and 2010, and designed for both form and function. From the Aesthetic Movement to Postmodernism, the exhibition is intended to act "as a window into our national history, culture, and social trends."

SHOWS & EXPOSITIONS

McCormick Place Complex
2301 S. Lake Shore Dr.

February 10-19, 2018

Showcasing over 1,000 domestic and imported vehicles, this show includes experimental and concept cars, antique and collector cars, and numerous accessories and production debuts. This is North America's largest and longest running auto exposition, and a surefire destination for auto enthusiasts of all ages.

Navy Pier
600 E. Grand Ave.

March 14 - 18, 2018

This year's five-day event features more than 20 life-sized gardens to stroll through, daily seminars, DIY workshops and a bustling marketplace filled with gardening tools and must-haves. Perfect for families, gardening veterans and newbies alike, the show prides itself on offering practical tips for every shade of green thumb.

CHICAGO SPORTS EVENTS

Soldier Field
1410 Museum Campus Dr.

Through January

Chicago's National Football League (NFL) team, the Chicago Bears, play at Soldier Field, which sports new video boards in each end zone that are more than 300-percent larger and boast the highest picture quality in the NFL.

United Center
1901 W. Madison St.

October - April

Chicago's National Hockey League (NHL) team, the Chicago Blackhawks, play at the United Center located just a 10-minute drive from the Loop. The Blackhawks won the NHL Championship Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

United Center
1901 W. Madison St.

October - April

THEATER & ENTERTAINMENT

18 W. Monroe St.

HamiltonThrough September 2, 2018
This Broadway blockbuster is so popular, its Chicago run has been extended yet again! Score tickets to Lin-Manuel Miranda's hip-hop musical and watch the story of America's Founding Father Alexander Hamilton unfold in a blended score of hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B and Broadway.

1650 N. Halsted St.

BLKSThrough January 28, 2018
This is poet Aziza Barnes’ playwriting debut, hilariously exploring a day in the life of four young black women "discovering life’s uncomfortable truths in New York City."

The BurnFebruary 14 - March 3, 2018
This world premiere, commissioned by Steppenwolf for Young Adults, explores the issue of bullying, both online and IRL, and the impact the online witch-hunt has on a teacher and his students.

151 N. Randolph St.

Beautiful - The Carole King MusicalDecember 5, 2017 - January 28, 2018
See Carole King's remarkable true story come to life, punctuated with the beautiful music she created, and that came to define a generation.

Navy Pier
800 E. Grand Ave.

Red VelvetDecember 1, 2017 - January 21, 2018
The story of the first black actor, Ira Aldridge, to play Othello on the West End stage. This multi-award-winning play garnered Lolita Chakrabarti the Critics’ Circle Award for Most Promising New Playwright.

ICE SKATING

Whether you're a pro on skates or still just a little bit clumsy, the iconic skating rink in Millennium Park is a must-stop for a spin on the ice—not to mention breathtaking views of the downtown city skyline and the magical sight of all those holiday lights reflected on The Bean's shimmering surface.

Located in the Farm-in-the-Zoo area, this square skating rink looks out onto the big red barn and sits below strands of string lights. Time your visit to also see ZooLights, a spectacular showcase of holiday lighting displays. And be sure to visit the menagerie of lions, tigers and snow monkeys in the Macaque Forest habitat.

This neighbor to Millennium Park made its debut in 2014, and offers a picturesque skating ribbon that curves through Maggie Daley Park, under pine trees and around towering climbing walls. Its path is twice the length of a lap around a traditional skating rink—which also means you should check the Zamboni schedule to avoid the lengthy ice resurfacing times! Another tip: bring your own skates to skip the rental line.